Apparatus for regulating the flow of liquids or liquefiable solids



Feb. 24, 1931. A T. PRENTICE 1,793,747

APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF LIQUIDS OR LIQUEFIABLE SOLIDS Filed June 27, 1929 Patented Feb. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR TRIGG PRENTICE, OF DYNAMITE FACTORY, SOMERSET WEST SOUTH AFRICA, ASSIGNOB 'l'O IMPERIAL CEIEMIGAL INDUSTRIES LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF LIQUIDS OR LIQUEFIABLE SOLIDS Application filed June 27, 1929. Serial No. 374,157.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for giving a reguluated and uniform flow of liquid or liquefiable solids.

The present invent-ion provides a mechanically operated cook or valve which can be regulated to permit of a regular and uniform quantity of liquid flowing through and can be used not only for liquids but also for liquefiable solids and is particularly useful in regard to the regulating of the flow of liquefiable solids.

The apparatus comprises an outer casing having inlet and outlet ports and an inner sleeve-valve member having a hollow chamher with an opening or openings adapted to be brought into and out of register with the ports in the outer member. the inner valve member being adapted to be continuously rotated or reciprocated by mechanical means.

The outer casing may comprise a heating jacket to control the temperature of the flowing substance and means may be provided for altering the capacity of the hollow chamber in the inner valve member.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention by way of example:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus and Figure 2 is likewise a vertical sectional view showing a modification of the apparatus by the provision of a piston to vary the capacity of the inner chamber.

Referring specifically to the form of the invention disclosed in Figure 1, the apparatus comprises a movable cylindrical valve member 1 containing a hollow chamber 9 of any desired size or capacity provided with a port or ports 2 and with vent or vents 23, and suitable mechanical means for rotating or angularly reciprocating the valve member within a cylindrical casing i at a rate which may be constant or variable. The walls of the cylindrical valve 1 fit suiiiciently tightly against the walls of the casing i to prevent the escape of liquid but not so tightly as to prevent the movable member from being rotated or reciprocated within the outer stationary member.

The outer casing is provided with an inlet port 5 and an outlet port 10. An inlet pipe 8 is connected with the inlet port 5 and an outlet pipe 13 is connected with the outlet port 10. Two or more inlet and outlet ports may be used in place of one of each but the apparatus functions more simply with one inlet and one outlet port.

The ports in the outer casing are so disposed that they alternately oommunicate with the port of the valve member as the latter is rotated or reciprocated.

The casing may be provided with a acket 6 for the passage of water, steam or other fluid so that the substance whose flow is to be controlled may be kept at a suitable temperature.

The valve member is carried by a hollow shaft 3 open at the vent 23. A pipe or tube 7 is provided through the valve member and its hollow shaft through which pipe or tube 7 may flow a current of steam, water or other fluid to keep the vent at a suitable temperature to prevent the same becoming choked.

The hollow shaft 3 is provided with suitable mechanical means whereby it may be rotated such as a pulley or other form of driving wheel or it may be reciprocated by means of a rack and pinion or any other suitable mechanical means. In the drawings a pulley 15 is shown but any other suitable mechanical means may be substituted. The pulley 15 is seated on a cap 24; of the outer casing which provides a bearing for the shaft 3.

In order to hold in position and raise or lower the valve member, two driving plates 16 and 17 are provided, number 17 being attached to the pulley 15 by posts 18. The driving plate 17 is free on the shaft 3 whlle the plate 16 is attached to the shaft by any suitable means, for example, a set screw 19. The plate 16 is raised or lowered by means of screws 20, thus raising or lowering the shaft 8 and the whole valve member. Any other suitable mechanical arrangement may be used forholding and moving the said shaft up or down.

Referring now to the modified form of Figure 2, the pipe 7 is dispensed with and a piston or diaphragm 11 is provided which has a hollow actuating spindle 12 extending through pipe 3 whose bore constitutes a vent.

In order to hold in position the valve memher 1 in this form, the shaft 3 is fixed to the pulley 15 by a set screw 21, or by any other suitable means.

In order to hold in position and raise or lower the piston 11 within the valve member the hollow spindle 12 is adjustably clamped within the shaft 3 by a set screw or other suitable means. The position of the piston 11 within the valve member may be varied by releasing the spindle l2 and moving this up or down by hand and again fixing it by means of set screw 22.

In use the form of apparatus disclosed in Figure 1 functions as follows The valve member is rotated or oscillated to and fro, according to the form of motion chosen and provided, so that the port 2 is at one time opposite the inlet port 5 of the easing and subsequently opposite the outlet port 10. The liquid to be regulated flows from its source of supply by means of the inlet pipe 8 through the port or ports 5 in the casing and when the port 2 of the valve mem ber l registers with the port 5 so that a passage exists into the interior of such 'valve member the liquid flows into and fills or partially fills the chamber 9 according to the speed at which the valve member is rotated or oscillated. The air or gas that may be contained in the chamber of the valve memher is displaced and escapes through the vent 23 provided by the hollow shaft 8. The valve member continues its mov ment until the port registers with the outlet port 10 in the casing when the liquid will flow out through outlet pipe 13 being displaced by air or gas which is drawn in through the vent 23 in the hollow shaft 3. The form of Figure 2 operates similarly to that of Figure 1 with the exception that trapped air vents or escapes through the bore of pipe 12.

There are three ways in which the quantity of liquid passed by this apparatus may be varied, namely (1) By altering the speed of rotation or oscillation of the movable member;

(2) By raising or lowering the position of the valve member 1 in relation to the casing 4 thereby altering the capacity of the part of the chamber of the valve member which lies above the outlet port of the casing 4;

(3) By raising or lowering the piston or diaphragm 11 Figure 2 within the chamber of the valve member thereby altering its capacity.

The main advantages of the apparatus are the following, viZ.,

(a) The flow of the liquid controlled is r gular and uniform and independent of hand control and human error owing to mechanical action being employed;

(6) The quantity of liquid measured at cosity of the liquid;

(a) The quantity measured at moderate speeds is practically independent of the pressure of the source of supply;

(d) The apparatus is suitable for liquids and such materials as sulphur, wax, fat, pitch, etc., which are solid at ordinary temperatures but liquefiable. I

(e) The apparatus enables liquefiable solids as to he introduced into other apparatus without at the same time introducing air, this being practically impossible whilst the materials are solid.

I claim l. A valve or cock comprising an outer cylindrical casing having an inlet port and an outlet port, an inner cylindrical valve member having a hollow chamber provided with an elongated port adapted to register alternately with said inlet and outlet ports, a shaft carrying the valve member, a driving wheel mounted freely on said shaft, a plate mounted freely on said shaft, means connecting the driving wheel and plate together, a second plate fast on said shaft, and means for adjustably connecting said two plates together.

2. A valve or cock comprising an outer cylindrical casing having an inlet port and an outlet port, an inner cylindrical valve member having a hollow chamber forming a measuring chamber in cooperation with the adjacent end portion of the casing, said valve member being provided with a port adapted to register alternately with said inlet and outlet ports, a shaft carrying the valve member, a rotatable driving member mounted on said shaft, said valve member being operable for varying the capacity of said measuring chamber.

3. A valve or cook comprising a fluidjacketed outer cylindrical casing having an inlet port and an outlet port, an inner cylindrical valvemember having a hollow chamber provided with an elongated port adapted to register alternately with said inlet and outlet ports, a shaft carrying the valve member, a driving wheel mounted freely on said shaft, a plate mounted freely on said shaft, means connecting the driving wheel and plate together, a second plate fast on .said shaft, and means for adjustably connecting said two plates together.

4. A valve or cook comprising a fliuidjacketed outer casing having inlet and out let ports, and an inner valve member having a hollow chamber with means .of communication with the said ports alternately, a hollow shaft carrying the said valve member, a heating tube within said shaft and hollow chamber and a driving wheel mounted on said shaft.

5. A valve or cock comprising a fluid jacketed outer casing having inlet and outlet ports, and an .inner valve member having a hollow chamber with means of commnnication with the said ports alternately, a hollow shaft carrying the said valve member, a heating tube within said shaft and hollow chamber, a cap on the casing providing a bearing for said shaft, a driving Wheel mounted on said shaft and seated on said rap, and an adjustable connexion between said driving wheel and said shaft.

6. A valve or cock comprising a fluidjacketed outer cylindrical casing having an inlet port and an outlet port, an inner cylindrical valve member ha *ing a hollow chain ber forming a measuring chamber in cooperation with the adjacent end portion of the casing, said valve member being provided with a port adapted to register alternately with said inlet and outlet ports, a hollow shaft carrying the valve member, a heating tube within said shaft and hollow chamber, a rotatable driving member mounted on said shaft, said valve member being operable for varying the capacity of said measuring chamber.

7. A valve or cool; comprising a fluidjacketed outer cylindrical casing having an inlet port and an outlet port, an inner cylindrical valve member having a hollow chamber provided with an elongated port adapted to register alternately with said inlet and outlet ports, a hollow shaft carrying the valve member, a heating tube within said shaft and hollow chamber, a rotatable driving member mounted on said shaft and means for raising and lowering said shaft and valve member.

8. A valve or cock comprising a fluidjarketed outer cylindrical casing having an inlet port and an outlet port, an inner cylindrical valve member having a hollow chamber provided with an elongated port adapted to register alternately with said inlet and outlet ports, a hollow shaft carrying the valve member, a heating tube within said shaft and hollow chamber, a driving wheel mounted freely on said shaft, a plate mounted freely on said shaft, means connecting the driving wheel and plate together, a second plate fast on said shaft, and means for adj ustably eonnecting said two plates together.

9. A valve or cool; comprising an outer cylindrical casing having an inlet port and an outlet port and a closed end, an inner cylindrical valve member having a hollow chamber provided with an elongated port adapted to register alternately with said inlet and outlet ports and having an open end adapted in cooperation with the closed end of the outer casing to form a measuring enamber, a shaft carrying the valve member, means for angularly displaci said shaft and means for axially moving said shaft.

10. A valve or cock comprising an outer cylindrical casing having an inlet port and an outlet port and a closed end, an inner cylindrical valve member having a hollow chamber provided with an elongated port adapted to register alternately with said inlet and outlet ports and having an open end adapted in cooperation with the closed end of the outer casing to form a measuring chamber, a shaft carrying the valve member, a driving wheel. mounted on said shaft, and means for relatively axially adjusting the driving wheel and shaft.

11. A valve or cool: comprising an outer cylindrical casing having an inlet port and an outlet port and a closed end, an inner cylindrical valve member having a hollow chamber provided with an elongated port adapted to register alternately with said inlet and outlet ports and having an open end adapted in cooperation with the closed end of the outer casing to form a measuring chamber, a shaft carrying the valve member, a driving wheel mounted on said shaft, means for axially moving said shaft comprising a flat plate mounted freely on said shaft, means connecting the driving wheel and plate together, a second plate on said shaft, and means for adjustably connecting said plates together.

12. A valve or cock comprising an outer cylindrical casing having an inlet port and an outlet port and a closed end, an inner cyindrical valve member having a hollow chamber provided with an elongated port adapted to register alternately with said inlet and outlet ports and having an open end adapted in cooperation with the closed end of the outer casing to form a measuring chamber, a hollow shaft carrying the valve member, means for angularly displacing said shaft, means for axially moving said shaft, and a heating tube within said shaft and measuring chamber.

13. A valve or cock comprising a fluid jacketed outer cylindrical casing having an inlet port and an outlet port and a closed end, an inner cylindrical valve member having a hollow chamber provided with an elongated port adapted to register alternately with said inlet and outlet ports and having an open end adapted in cooperation with the closed end of the outer casing to form a me suring chamber, a hollow shaft carrying the valve member, a driving wheel mounted on said shaft and adjustable axially relatively thereto, and a heating tube within said shaft and measuring chamber.

14. A valve or cock comprising a fluidjacketed outer cylindrical casing having an inlet port and an outlet port and a closed end, an inner cylindrical valve member having a hollow chamber provided wita an elongated port adapted to register alternately with said inlet and outlet ports and having an open end adapted in cooperation with the closed end of the outer casing to form a measuring chamber, a hollow shaft carrying the valve member, a driving, wheel mounted on said shaft, means for axially moving said shaft comprising a flat plate nionntecl freely on said shaft, means connecting the driving WhGGl and plate together, a second plate fast on will shaft, means for adjnstubly connecting said plates together, and a heating tube within said shaft and measuring clnnnbei'.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, 1 have signed my name this 23rd day of May, 1929.

ARTHUR TRIGG PRENTICE. 

